Defining core values for a landscaping business comes down to the moments when nobody's watching. It's how teams handle challenges without the owner present, how employees treat customers on difficult jobs, and whether you build lasting relationships or just complete transactions.
When core values are clear and lived out consistently, they create the kind of culture where good people want to stay, and clients keep coming back. They become the foundation that supports growth instead of another initiative that falls by the wayside when things get busy.
Core values shape your culture and directly impact business performance. Here's why they matter so much in the landscaping industry:
They guide decisions when you're not there. Landscaping companies face unique challenges that make core values especially important. Crews work at clients' properties without direct supervision. Team members encounter unexpected problems that require immediate solutions. Weather delays create pressure to cut corners. Without shared values guiding these moments, maintaining standards becomes impossible.
They help you keep good people. Strong values support employee retention in an industry where labor challenges persist year after year. Team members who understand what you stand for and see those values demonstrated consistently are more likely to stay and grow with the business.
They build client trust and generate referrals. The relationship between values and customer relationships matters just as much. Clients notice when a company delivers on its promises consistently. They recognize the difference between teams that take pride in their work and crews just going through the motions. Values create the consistency that builds trust and generates referrals.
The most successful landscaping companies focus on a handful of core values they can actually demonstrate every day. Rather than listing a dozen aspirational statements, industry leaders concentrate on the values that make the biggest difference in improving daily landscape operations. Here are some of the most common core values landscaping companies choose and why they matter:
Many landscaping companies make quality a cornerstone value because it directly impacts every aspect of the business. A commitment to quality means using the best materials, hiring top talent, providing outstanding service, and maintaining high safety standards. Companies choose this value when they want to compete on craftsmanship rather than price alone.
Quality sells better than any advertising. The best form of marketing comes from work that speaks for itself. When teams consistently deliver excellent results, customer satisfaction drives growth through word-of-mouth referrals and repeat business. Companies that excel at quality work don't just tell employees to "do good work" - they demonstrate exactly what quality looks like on every type of project and create systems to maintain those standards.
Integrity shapes how landscaping businesses handle the inevitable problems that arise. Equipment breaks down. Weather disrupts schedules. Mistakes happen on job sites. Companies that prioritize integrity own these challenges honestly rather than making excuses or shifting blame. They honor commitments even when circumstances change, building the trust that leads to long-term relationships with customers and strong partnerships with suppliers.
Teamwork determines whether companies can scale beyond the owner doing everything. Landscaping projects require coordination between sales, design, production, and maintenance. Companies choose teamwork as a core value when they recognize that success depends on how well these groups work together, share information, and support each other through challenges.
Strong teamwork means account managers communicate clearly with crews about client expectations. Production teams document issues and notify sales when changes are needed. Maintenance crews report enhancement opportunities. This collaboration creates seamless service that clients notice and value. Teamwork also extends to relationships with clients, vendors, and the broader community through respect, cooperation, and clear communication.
Some companies embrace leadership as a value because they want to set the standard in their market. This means delivering exceptional quality and service, acting as environmental stewards, and conducting business with integrity and professionalism. Companies with leadership as a core value see themselves as more than just service providers - they're industry and community partners who contribute beyond the job site.
Safety represents a non-negotiable priority for many landscape operations. The industry involves heavy equipment, power tools, chemical applications, and physical labor that carries inherent risks. Companies that embrace safety as a core value don't just meet minimum requirements - they actively seek ways to protect their teams and create the safest possible work environment.
A commitment to safety means viewing it as everyone's responsibility, not just a compliance issue. Team members look out for each other, speak up about concerns, and take pride in maintaining the highest standards.
While it might seem purely financial, some companies list profitability as a core value because it enables everything else. Efficient operations and smart business decisions create the resources to reinvest in equipment and facilities, provide growth opportunities for team members, support families, and give back to the community. Companies choose this value to remind everyone that staying financially healthy allows them to take care of their people and serve clients for the long term.
Excellence in service separates companies that just complete work from those that create exceptional customer experiences. Service excellence means communicating proactively, showing up when promised, cleaning up thoroughly, and following up after project completion. Companies that value service excellence go beyond the minimum, creating moments that build relationships lasting for years and generating the reputation that drives future business.
Respect creates an environment where everyone - from clients to team members to community partners - feels valued. Companies choose respect as a core value when they want to build a culture based on dignity and appreciation. Respect means treating customers' properties with care, listening when clients face challenges, and responding professionally even in difficult situations.
Respect extends internally as well. Team members with different skills and experience levels all contribute to success. Companies that recognize and appreciate these contributions create cultures where employees feel motivated to develop their abilities and support their teammates.
These examples show what other landscaping companies prioritize, but your core values should reflect what matters most to your business and leadership team. Generic values copied from other companies won't drive real change. The values that will actually move your culture forward are the ones that genuinely resonate with who you are and what you want to build.
Look at:
What your best team members demonstrate consistently
What loyal customers say they appreciate most about working with you
Which principles you're truly willing to uphold even when it's difficult
These patterns reveal the existing values worth formalizing and reinforcing. Those are your real core values.
Values should address the areas where consistent performance matters most:
If weather delays constantly create pressure to cut corners, maybe quality or integrity needs to be front and center
If crew coordination makes or breaks your projects, teamwork should be a priority
If safety incidents keep happening, making safety a core value signals it's non-negotiable
If customer complaints center on communication, service excellence might be what you need
Keep the list short (three to five core values provide enough focus to guide decisions without overwhelming teams with too many priorities). Make values specific enough to mean something. Generic statements don't tell team members what to do differently. Concrete descriptions give clear direction that people can follow.
Writing values accomplishes nothing if they stay on paper. Making values real requires consistent effort across every level. Here's how to embed them into your daily operations:
Start with hiring. Hiring decisions should filter for value alignment from the start. During interviews, share examples of what values look like in practice and gauge candidate responses. A technically skilled candidate who doesn't fit the culture will cause more problems than they solve.
Reinforce through training. Training needs to reinforce values constantly. Your landscaping SOPs should be written with the values in mind. New team members should learn what the company stands for on day one. Regular meetings should highlight examples of employees demonstrating values well. When someone makes a decision that reflects company values, recognize it publicly.
Model from the top. Leadership must model values in every interaction. Team members watch how leaders handle stress, address problems, and treat others. Demonstrating values through actions creates the culture those values describe.
Connect to performance. Performance expectations should connect directly to values. If teamwork matters, evaluate and reward collaboration. If quality is non-negotiable, inspect work thoroughly and address issues immediately. Holding people accountable for living these values shows the team these standards are real.
Core values work alongside mission and vision statements to create a complete picture of what the company stands for. The mission defines what you do and who you serve. The vision describes where you're headed. Values explain how you operate while getting there.
Together, these create an understanding across the organization. When team members understand all three clearly, they can make decisions independently that still support company goals. This alignment becomes vital as landscaping companies grow and owners can't be involved in every choice.
Core values differentiate companies that might otherwise look similar, making you stand out. Values create the culture that keeps talented team members, establish the reputation that generates referrals, and define the standards that lead to consistent quality. Companies that define their values clearly and live them consistently create competitive advantages that competitors focused only on operations and profit can't easily copy.
Read our in-depth blog to learn more tips that will help you grow your landscaping business or join us at one of our upcoming events.
The Grow Group is a coaching and education company for landscape professionals. Led by Marty Grunder, we help landscaping business owners build stronger companies through practical strategies tested in the real world.
We don't just share theories and ideas. We share tactics tested at our own landscaping company - Grunder Landscaping Co. serves as our "living laboratory" where every system we recommend gets proven first.
Our programs include:
ACE Peer Groups: Accountability-focused groups connecting successful landscape business owners
GROW! Conference: Annual event bringing together ambitious landscape professionals for education and networking
GLC Field Trips: Behind-the-scenes tours of our working landscaping business
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Our team brings more than 95 years of combined experience in the field. Whether you're trying to grow your landscaping business or get better control over it, we'll get you where you want to go.